Nascar 2012 - all star race

ALL STAR WEEKEND Submitted by Rick A. Talford NASCAR Enthusiast CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - This years All Star race started with the All Star Showdown. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was voted into the race by the fans, and he didn’t let that go to waste. Earnhardt drove his # 88 Chevrolet Diet Mountain Dew car to the front on lap one, and never looked back for the forty lap starter of the evening. There would then be four twenty lap segments, before the final ten lap shootout for a million dollar payout. # 48 Jimmie Johnson would then take over the first segment and won. Segment two was won by # 17 Matt Kenseth. The third segment was won by # 22 Brad Keselowski, and the fourth segment was won by # 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. The Final ten lap shootout was again dominated by # 48 Jimmie Johnson, as he won his third All Star Race of his career. This ties him with # 24 Jeff Gordon and # 3 Dale Earnhardt Sr. for the most victories in the special event race. During the event, both Roush driven Fords of # 16 Greg Biffle and last years winner # 99 Carl Edwards had engine failures, ending their chances at victory lane appearances. IOWA PIONEER 250 NEWTON, IOWA - This weeks Nationwide race was held at the one mile track designed by Famous driver Rusty Wallace. Pole Sitter for the race was # 2 Elliott Sadler, with # 12 Sam Hornish Jr. starting second. This would be the first time driver # 7 Danica Patrick and # 20 Darrell Wallace Jr. would take to the track in their careers. Patrick stayed on the lead lap, until a blown tire on lap 114 sent her into the wall, then into the garage. Wallace Jr., at age 18 would have a much better day, finishing not only on the lead lap, but in ninth place. The first caution came out on lap 73, when # 14 Jeff Green blew a front right tire, and hit the wall hard. # 7 Danica Patrick would receive the first “Lucky Dog” of the race, getting back on the lead lap in 16th place. The next caution would be Patrick, when she blew a right front tire, and hit the wall also. She ended the day in 30th place. The Lucky Dog was # 44 Mike Bliss. The third caution came out when # 19 Taylor Malsam had the same fate with a front right tire, as he hit the wall hard before his day ended. The Lucky Dog was # 33 Brandon Gaughn. During the caution, both # 18 Michael McDowell and # 44 Mike Bliss were caught speeding on pit road. They would both have to restart at the back of the field. The final caution of the race came out on lap 203, when # 99 Travis Pastrana stopped his car on the track, after he lost power. He took his car to the garage, and did return to the track 22 laps down. They stated a broken fuel line was the cause of his troubles. # 12 Sam Hornish Jr. was the Lucky Dog and was the 13th place car left on the lead lap. Driver of the # 6, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. dominated the race. He led 209 of 250 laps of the race. This was Stenhouse’s third consecutive victory at the race track. The rest of the Top Ten were: # 2 Elliott Sadler, # 18 Michael McDowell, # 3 Austin Dillon, # 54 Kurt Busch, # 31 Justin Allgaier, # 88 Cole Whitt, # 22 Parker Kligerman, # 20 Darrell Wallace Jr., and # 33 Brendan Gaughn. Also finishing on the lead lap were: # 11 Brian Scott, # 12 Sam Hornish Jr., and # 38 Brad Sweet. The next race will be held next Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In other race news, The Charlotte Truck Race was won by Justin Loftin, and the K&N race was won by # 9 Chase Elliott, son of another famous driver named Bill Elliott.